10 Directors Who Went from Indie Film to Studio Blockbuster (Part 3)

After our first two lists, we now finish off our series on directors of this year's upcoming big-budget studio films who managed to work their way up from the independent film world. While some of the directors on the list have now become filmmaking icons, having directed some of the biggest movies in history in the last decade alone, some of them will soon get a chance to prove just how well they can handle the big leagues.

After our first two lists, we now finish off our series on directors of this year's upcoming big-budget studio films who managed to work their way up from the independent film world. While some of the directors on the list have now become filmmaking icons, having directed some of the biggest movies in history in the last decade alone, some of them will soon get a chance to prove just how well they can handle the big leagues.

About The Director: Possibly the most extreme of indie-to-studio transitions of any director on this list (or ever), Gareth Edwards' apocalyptic thriller "Monsters" was made on a budget of less than $1 million dollars. But the cult film nevertheless managed to grab the attention of anyone who'd heard about it and retained the attention of all those who'd seen it. The astounding feat that Edwards accomplished on the entertainment and artistic scales were brilliantly matched by his ability to do so much with so little, giving budget-conscious studio execs a decent idea of just how much more he'd be able to accomplish when given the proper monetary resources.

Director: Patrick HughesStudio Project Coming Out in 2014: "The Expendables 3" (Release Date: August 15)Indie Background: "Red Hill"About
the Director: Patrick Hughes has the rare chance to take on a
remarkable slew of famed action stars, with Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson,
Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes being brought on board with the
original cast. Hughes' directing history consists of "Red Hill," which
was his first and only feature film directing credit before taking on
the upcoming sequel. The film had enough action sequences in it to hint
that Hughes might be able to pull off the same thing once again, but
"The Expendables" rests on a much grander scale, featuring many more
stunts and (literally) bigger talent.

Director: Gavin O'ConnorStudio Project Coming Out in 2014: "Jane Got a Gun" (Release Date: August 29)Indie Background: "Tumbleweeds"About
The Director: "Jane Got a Gun," starring Oscar-winner Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor, was the subject of much controversy in its pre-production stage. The person initially set to direct the upcoming western was Lynn Ramsay, who reportedly failed to show up on the first day of shooting. Though not the best way to further one's career, it certainly paved the way for Gavin O'Connor, who started out with the Oscar-nominated indie "Tumbleweeds" before getting boosted up the ladder with the Disney sports flick "Miracle," "Pride and Glory," "Warrior," and the pilot episode of "The Americans," all of which seem to have shown enough adeptness on his part to fill the drastic void left by Ramsay.

Director: Michael R. Roskam

Studio Project Coming Out in 2014: "The Drop" (Release Date: September 19)Indie Background: "Bullhead"About
the Director: One of the rare Oscar-nominated foreign filmmakers to make the transition from indie to studio, Belgian director Michael R. Roskam received an Academy Award nomination for his debut feature film "Bullhead." But what aided in his climb into big-budget territory may have been the fact that star of "The Drop," Noomi Rapace, listed "Bullhead" as one of her all-time favorite films. Even without Rapace, "The Drop" has quite a bit going for it commercially, with a script by Dennis Lehane (whose novels brought us the likes of "Mystic River," "Gone Baby Gone" and "Shutter Island") and a lead role played by Tom Hardy.

Director: Miguel ArtetaStudio Project Coming Out in 2014: "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" (Release Date: October 10)Indie Background: "Star Maps," "Chuck and Buck," "The Good Girl"About
the Director: Miguel Arteta's career grew bigger with each film, adding one known actor to his casts as his filmography extended. The most notable actors he's worked with in his indie days include Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal and John C. Reilly on "The Good Girl." But while Arteta has veered a bit towards directing for television on shows such as "Six Feet Under," "Homicide: Life on the Streets" and "The Office," among many others, he also managed to make his way to his upcoming feature film "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" starring Steve Carrell and Jennifer Garner, who, much like their director, have ultimately made more of a presence in film.